Shadowfax Banana Boat Tours

Shadowfax Banana Boat Tours

Shadowfax Banana Boat Tours
4.5
About
Day Chartered Cruises, with the Companys' two prestigious 60-foot Spronk-build Catamarans, "Shadowfax" and "Rubaiyat." We cater to the high-end hotel and cruise ship market with our 6h Snorkeling Champagne Lobster Cruise and 2h Sunset Champagne Romance Cruise.
Grand Anse, Grenada

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles53 reviews
Excellent
42
Very good
6
Average
1
Poor
1
Terrible
3

Headfoam
105 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
Went on the Power Boat and Snorkel trip. This trip was very well organised with very friendly staff who new there stuff and were especially strict on safety and gave a full and clear briefing which installed confidence. The Rib 10 power boats are easy to handle and will take two people up to 28 stone in weight and the driver must be over 18. I am 70 and drove by 13 year old granddaughter who has done the trip before. The good quality snorkelling equipment and flippers are provided and you see some underwater statues. The whole lasts for about 2.5 hours and is well worth going on, make sure you wear sun glasses to keep the sea spray out of your eyes.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fred
San Francisco, CA118 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2011 • Couples
I went on this trip with two friends and we had a blast! The catamaran is beautiful and very well kept. We enjoyed rum punches and did some interesting snorkeling (I usually dive and felt a little stuck on the surface, but that's just me). The cruise around Greneda was beautiful and crew and staff were very friendly. We stopped at an island to swim and for lobster lunch, followed by even more rum punches with fresh nutmeg from the island. I really enjoyed this and will do it again.
Written December 2, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Taxwizz
109 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2017 • Solo
We booked the full day snorkel, sail and lobster lunch through our cruise ship, Wind Star.

The boat was waiting at the dock at the appointed hour, and the crew were prepared for us. We heard that many lobsters had been provisioned.
The snorkeling was not good as the visibility was under 10 feet. There had been rain the previous days and as a result there was a lot of silt in the water. This made the underwater sculptures difficult to see from the surface, and not great even when dived on. They are mostly in 20 to 25 feet of water and required a dive of at least 10 to 15 feet to view. I cursed the required inflatable life vests. However the weather was no one's fault. Ya gets what ya gets eh?

The snorkeling was followed by a great motor sail (with an open, free, bar) to a beach for lobster lunch. Everyone received a full half of a surprisingly large lobster which did not die in vain. It was DELICIOUS, and served with green and potato salads, and unlimited white wine. I left not the tiniest scrap.

Back on the boat, more beer and another great sail back to the dock. The captain and crew could not do enough for us. No hand was empty of a beer or rum punch.

Not cheap ($165.00) but, in my opinion, worth it for over 6 hours of fun, open bar and amazing lobster lunch.

Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY.
Written January 18, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gabriel K
Washington DC, DC6 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2012 • Couples
Let's get this out of the way up front: This is not an actual review of the Shadowfax tour, because, although we 'booked' the lobster/champagne cruise during our stay in Grenada, we did not actually make it on board.
Instead, think of this as a cautionary tale about how a simple lack of proper communication can ruin the best laid plans, and as a basic guideline for our trip leader, Pierre-Jean, on how to keep this from happening again in the future.
After planning our trip to Grenada for about 6 months, we thought it would be great to try this tour, so I started an email chain with the tour leader and started to get things planned. After emailing a confirmation that we were coming on the scheduled tour, I spoke to PJ upon arrival to the hotel and verbally confirmed our booking as well. He asked for me to text or email him my credit card info for payment, and said quote "If I don't hear from you, I will see you on the day of the tour" and implied I could pay then as well. So all sounds good. I also made a point to ask if we were to be picked up in front of our Hotel by an automobile, to which I plainly remember hearing "No, we pick you up on the beach. Be There at 9:20." Sounded a bit strange, but folks were routinely picked up by motorboat at Pink Gin beach where we were staying so I didn't question it. Because I am not too keen on texting my credit card info, I text him that we will be there at the beach at 9:20 and receive no answer...but I figure, hey, I've confirmed via email and phone, plus, we set up the logistics, what could possibly go wrong, right?
So we show up ready to go at the beach at 9:15 the morning of. 9:25 passes. I email PJ just to confirm we are here and ready. Nothing. 9:30 passes and I walk to the front desk of our hotel to see if any messages were left/anyone stopped by. Nothing. By 9:40 I have emailed PJ and called both the office and cell phone #s for Shadowfax 4 times. Each time I get an "Out of Range" message. Understandable, considering he's probably manning the boat...
Finally, at 9:45, one of my calls goes through. I talk to PJ, and it turns out that we were never supposed to be on the beach, that a bus was waiting for us at the front desk the whole time to take us to the dock, and because we never showed up to the front desk, the driver just up and left and PJ figured that we "had just changed our minds!!!" Crazy frantic calls/search for cab ensues, but alas, we are not able to make it to the city in time before PJ "has to leave" with the rest of the crew. Frustration and sadness ensue, as we had planned a good portion of our trip around making time in the schedule for this day trip. So let's take a look at the rudimentary things that could have been done differently on Shadowfax's part to prevent this from happening:
1-Make sure that booking/logistics/all proper contact info is laid-out and structured in email form so when someone officially "books," all necessary info and protocol is written out! I obliged PJ's insistence on communicating via phone once we arrived on the island, but it needs to be understood that most travelers don't have the luxury of using their phone out of country and that it is simply easier to communicate via email. So utilize that to lay out the exact protocol for pick-up, payment, contact info etc.
2-an extension of that, make it clear the best way to contact Shadowfax during booking and the day of travel. I used the cell #s given on the signature of the email. I tried calling the one titled "Cell" many times, but no one picked up so I finally called the one titled "Office" and got through to JP. It sounded like he was outside, so I figured I could text him at that number as well, which I did (for the 3rd confirmation) which is probably why he never got it/responded.
3-The most frustrating aspect, and the most egregious logistical error on Shadowfax's end: TELL YOUR DRIVER THE NAME OF THE PERSON THEY ARE PICKING UP. I repeatedly asked JP as we were arguing the morning of, "Why didn't the driver ask the front desk for help locating/notifying us?" He had no answer. He clearly had not done the simple task of telling his driver any information to help locate us within the hotel. The driver literally sat there for ten minutes, told the front desk he didn't know who he was looking for, and left (this story is what was told to us by the front desk attendants later on). More simple ideas...call the hotel to doublecheck if we were around/if we could be found...have a reliable phone number/check your email the morning of a tour so someone can contact you if there are issues...give your tour members the # of the driver to contact...etc...etc.
Obviously, at the heart of this disappointment was a simple mis-communication between myself and PJ. I don't blame him for this, and to argue the he said/she said aspect is pure semantics. We have nothing against Shadowfax and the tours, and of course, I'm sure it is as an amazing time as everyone suggests here on TripAdvisor. That is exactly why we chose to do it. But even when this type of thing is undone by semantics, it's all the more upsetting. Very simple, logical things could have been done to prevent us from ruining a full day of our week-long trip that we had been planning meticulously for so long. The idea that only 100 yards separated us on the beach from the driver waiting at the front desk, and that such small steps had to happen from there to allow us to get us on the boat, is extremely frustrating. The fact that it was so easily considered that we "changed our minds" when we had confirmed booking twice seems ludicrous, and the non-effort put into making sure we could make it was sad. For tourists not involved in the Virgin bookings closer to Grand Anse, be very detail oriented when booking, and we hope Shadowfax will do the same.
Written April 17, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lettypoo
Derbyshire10 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2018 • Friends
Booked the champagne snorkel and lobster Catamaran trip in February. It was not the lovely blue boat featured but a small red ugly thing half the size ....

The captain sailed in appalling weather conditions without any regard for passenger safety.

On eventually arriving at "Hog Island" aptly named because it was disgusting with cigarette butts and broken plastic glasses fouling the sandy beach, we were herded into a disused bar area and served what seemed to be left over food from the large party already occupying the tables elsewhere.

I would never recommend this company and will never use them again.

All in all it was a very bad experience. One which will stay with me forever for all the wrong reasons.
Written March 14, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Richard B
Lincoln, UK2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2018 • Family
We booked the Champagne & lobster cruise through our virgin holidays rep. We thought it expensive but was told it was top notch. Sorry it was a booze cruise with music blasting so loud that you struggled to talk to each other. The booze started flowing as soon as the snorkelling had finished. There were about 25 people on the boat. Including us and our 12 year old son.
On arrival at hog island you had to be careful where you walked as there were bottletops all over in the very dirty sand. (Don't know why the sand was grey and sticky in patches!).
The champagne was cheap fiz and the lobsters had only just made the grade for killing size. Served with a dollop of potatoe salad and a little wizened green salad. Dessert.... nah! No dessert. Just more booze! On a positive note the sailing was exhilarating and the crew very helpful. Yes we were in some rough water but we felt that the captain and his crew were extremely competent in getting the best out of the boat safely. They were on hand to assist those who were struggling to walk in a straight line at the end. To top it off the tip box was thrust in your face on leaving the boat. Maybe ok for a club 18 - 30 trip. Not for us.
Written April 15, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cairomac
Houston, TX42 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2016 • Friends
Booked weeks in advance for 16+ and confirmed minimum numbers in writing to Pierre 10 days before the sail. He did not respond. On the day of the sail he called and said he had taken another booking because we did not pay up front, which was never requested. He then offered a 5.15pm sail instead of 4.30pm. Some had dinner bookings and we could only get 9 people and he said 10 was the minimum. We were prepared to pay for 10, but he was rude, swore and just gave a lecture on the way they do business. Good luck with that business model, you just lost 16 customers. We will go to Savvys or Living the Dream (LTD sailing), much more reliable and a pleasure to deal with.
Written December 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris A
Bismarck, ND73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2015 • Couples
We booked the sunset cruise. The crew were so very delightful and helpful. This tour is $40 per person but let me tell you, you are losing money if you don't go on this tour. It was at least 2 hours, all drinks are included. I had like 7 rum & fruit juices and they come around with these really great little snacks. Chicken drummies and little baked goods. The island of Grenada is breathtakingly beautiful and the sunset cruise takes you aways up the coast. It was really just amazing and very romantic. There were like maybe 10-12 people on the boat but it never once felt crowded or like you could not have a private conversation. You gotta check this out. If we would have done it sooner we would have booked the lobster dinner cruise too. Next time I guess :)
Written April 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Diane J
London, UK269 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Family
This two hour cruise is simply SPECTACULAR! Do NOT miss out if you're visiting Grenada. The Shadowfax is a beautiful catamaran and the staff are very professional, friendly and attentive. The drinks and nibbles are delicious and they serve champagne when it's getting close to seeing the sun set. Lovely choice of music too which is soft and romantic to suit this type of cruise. A very relaxing gentle pace is set on the sea too (so no worries if you don't like fast 'choppy' boat rides!) Overall, the beauty of this trip brought tears to my eyes and the memory of it will stay with me forever! Thank you SO much for such an amazing trip!
Written November 2, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Janie P
Arlington, TX24 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2013 • Friends
The catamaran was beautiful. The sailing was great. Actually made it into the Atlantic side, where the waves made it a bit of a thrill. The crew on the other hand were boring and not very friendly or engaging. Snorkeling was weird. There were three or four other catamarans all there at the same time. Too many people at one time. There were some sunken sculptures that were a little odd if you ask me. Fish, not to many. Next was the lobster lunch on the beach. The beach was not so pretty, but there were trees for us to eat in the shade. The lobsters were huge, I couldn't wait to eat them. What a disappointment!! they were so over cooked that you couldn't cut them you had to rip them apart with your hands and chew and chew and chew. Since I'm not a big champagne fan, I didn't get my share of that, but that's fine. The cost was $135.00 and way over priced. Maybe if the lobster had been good, that would have made it worth it. I wouldn't ever do that excursion again.
Written March 15, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Janie, This is the first time in seven years of charter with Shadowfax and our lobster cruise that we have received a negative comment, and I deeply regret that you didn't have an excellent experience with us. In order to help me to correct that situation and to take the appropriate measures if needed, could you please tell me which day you went on the cruise with us. It would be helpful for me because we didn't get any complaints from the other participants. I will investigate and then give you a detailed reply. It is a shame that you didn't report your frustration to the captain or to me before the end of the cruise, because our policy is satisfaction or money back. Looking forward to hearing from you, Kindest regards, Pierre Jean Spinosi Operations Manager Shadowfax Cruises
Written March 25, 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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